WHEN I HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
July 5, 2026 / Abundant Life ChurchWHEN I HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
HAPPINESS ACCORDING TO JESUS – Part 4
Vernon Zook July 5, 2026
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. – Matthew 5:6 (NIV)
1. HUNGER – A STRONG DESIRE OR NEED FOR CAUSED BY A LACK OF NOURISHMENT.
For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him. – Isaiah 30:18 (NASB)
What does spiritual hunger look like?
• A continual longing to know God more.
• A constant desire to grow spiritually.
• A craving for God’s Word.
• Wanting to do things that please God.
For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. – Psalm 107:9 (NLT)
2. THIRST – AN INTENSE DESIRE OR NEED FOR BECAUSE OF DEHYDRATION.
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. – Psalm 63:1 (NLT)
What does spiritual water symbolize?
• Salvation
• The Holy Spirit
• Spiritual vitality
• Refreshment
May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again. – Psalm 126:4 (TPT)
3. WE HUNGER AND THIRST FOR .
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. – Psalm 42:1 (NLT)
To hunger and thirst for righteousness means: I want my thoughts, my words, my relationships, my motives, my private life, my habits, my response to unrighteousness to be righteous.
4. WE WILL BE .
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. – Roman 5:1 (NLT)
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. – 1 Corinthians 1:30 (NIV)
HOW DO WE DEVELOP A HUNGER AND THIRST FOR GOD?
• your worldly hunger.
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world
is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. – 1 John 2:16-17 (NLT)
• your spiritual hunger.
• I feed on God’s Word
• Surround myself with God’s people
• Worship together with the church family
Jesus himself satisfies our hunger and our thirst!
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” – John 6:35 (NLT)
DID YOU KNOW? Double click a sentence in your note above to highlight it or add your own note below it.
Send to Email
Enter your email address below to receive a copy of your filled in notes
Save PDF Locally
Click to save a copy of the filled-in notes to a PDF file on your device
Save PDF to Google Drive
Click to save a copy of the filled-in notes to a PDF file on your Google Drive account
(For Apple devices, use Chrome browser or go to SETTINGS>SAFARI and uncheck BLOCK POPUPS.)